Refrigeration system



April 21, 1964 BECKwn-H 3,129,567

REFRIGERATIQN SYSTEM Filed May 31, 1962 INVENTOR Sterlirzg eckwiih Unite States Patent Office g aizaset Patented Apr. 21, 1964 3,129,5t7 RFRTGERATTGN YSTEM Sterling Becltwith, Lihertyvilie Township, Til., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Beal .let Refrigeration Company, a Corporation of fiinois Filed May 31, 1%2, Ser. No. 198,961 4 Clams. (Cl. 62-256) This invention relates to improvements in a refrigeration system which includes a cabinet or enclosure of the type having an open side permitting access to an otherwise enclosed refrigerated space. The invention particularly relates to devices of the type which are capable of maintaining a refrigerated state within the enclosed space while at the same time providing an Opening for access to the contents.

In an application of Hagen et al., Serial No. 54,077, filed September 6, 1960, same assignee, and in the issued Simons Patent No. 2,36Z,369, there are described refrigerated display cabinets which are provided with access openings exposed to the annosphere while still being capable of maintaining the contents in a refrigerated state. Loss of refrigeration from the enclosed space through the access Opening is reduced in a highly effective manner in these constructions by the use of an air curtain which is continuously advanced across the open side from one edge of the Opening to the opposite edge. The air curtain in these constructions is adapted to be formed of adjacent panels of air, with the innermost panel comprising a refrigerated cold air panel, and with one or more outer panels having temperatures approaching the ambient temperature. It has been found that it is desrable to recirculate at least the inner cold air panel, and, at times, the adjacent guard panels, to conserve the refrigeration and to maintain the enclosed space in a satisfactory refrigerated state.

In these constructions there are described assemblies which include nozzles extending across the bottom edge of the access Opening to direct the air panels upwardly across the Opening towards inlets which extend across the top side of the access Opening. As an alternative, the nozzles are located across the upper edge for projecting the air panels downwardly toward inlets arranged across the bottom edge. It is also contemplated that the air nozzles be located across one of the lateral edges of the Opening for directing the corresponding air panels across the Opening toward inlets in the opposite edge. Because of the more desirable effect of gravity on the higher density cold air, it has been found preferable to provide the air curtain with a downward movement from nozzles across the top to inlets across the bottom. The following description will refer to this preferred construction, although it Will be understood that the concepts to be described are also applicable to other directions of fiow.

In the provision of laminat air panels as described in the aforementioned cases, and as referred to in applicanfs copending applications Serial NO. 88,879, filed February 13, 1961, now Patent No. 3,082,612 and Serial No. 106,805, filed May 1, 1961, now Patent No. 3,094,851, certain conditions have been observed. In particular, turbulence and uneven flow of the air panels have been discovered near the sides of the Cabinet housing. Thus, the lateral edges of the air panels are apparently disturbed in some manner when compared to the internal portions of the panels located between the lateral edges.

Certain undesirable effects are attributed to the special conditions existing at the sides of the air panels. Thus, it has been found that warm air tends to enter the enclosed refriverated space at the lateral edges of the panels. This, of course, detracts from the efficiency of the Operation and tends to disrupt uniform temperature conditions within the refrigerated space.

It is an object of this invention to provide a refrigeration system of the type Which includes moving streams of air across an access Opening, and which is provided with means located adjacent the lateral edges of the air streams adapted to reduce the detrimental effects of air disturbance in this area.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide means in a system of the type described which are positioned internally of a refrigerated space on the side walls thereof for cooperation with moving air panels whereby increased efiiciency of Operation is provided in the system.

These and Other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter, and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, specific embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevation, partly cut away, of a refrigerated Cabinet characterized by the improvements of this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary crOss-sectional View taken about the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

As indicated, the improvements of this invention are directed to refrigerated enclosures of the type which define an access Opening in one wall which is provided for communication with the otherwise enclosed space. The refrigerated enclosures are provided With a plurality of nozzles arranged in side-by-side relationship across one edge of the access Opening and corresponding inlets are located across an opposite edge of the access Opening. The inner nozzles and inlets are provided for the passage of one or more refrigerated streams across the access Opening and through passages located within the enclosure housing. One or more outer Warmer air panels circulate through the housing and across the access Opening by means of similar nozzles and inlets. The refrigerated streams are circulated by refrigeration coils which are included in the passafles containing these streams.

As indicated, certain conditions adjacent the side edges of the air panels have been found to eXist. In accordance with this invention, the detrimental effects associated with these conditions can be overcome by employing deflector means which are located at the sides Of the refrigerated enclosure and which are adapted to contact the outer side of the innermost refrigerated panel in order to confine this side of the innermost panel. The deflector means are adapted to extend across the access openin y along the sides of the enclosure between the nozzles and inlets. Each deflector means preferably comprises a member having a flange portion which protrudes outwardly from the opposite side walls of the enclosure. The flange-line me. rber extends on a line which approximately divides the innermost refrigerated panel from the adjacent air panel.

The accompanying drawings will serve as an illustration of the improvements which characterize this invention. The drawings illustrate a refrigerated enclosure 10 having a top wall 12, bottom wall 14, back wall 16, front Wall 18 and side walls 20. The front wall f defines an Opening 22 which permits access to the interior refrigerated space 24. An inner Wall 26 defines the refrigerated space.

A pair of spaced apart partitions 23 and 30 cooperate with the inner and Outer Walls to define passages 32, 34 and 36. These passages confine air streams 38, 40 and 42, and these streams form laminar panels as they pass across the access Opening 22.

Nozzles 44, which may comprise honeycomb sections as described in applicanfs aforementioned copending application, provide Outlet means for the air passages. Screens 46 may be located at the inlets situated On the opposite side of the access Opening, and these Screens serve to prevent entry of insects and other foreign material into the access openings. A heating means 4-3 Of the type described in copending application Serial No. 198,963, filed May 31, 1962, and entitled Refrigerated Enclosure, can be advantageously substituted for the screening means in the innermost refrigerated panel.

Located in the passages in the bottom area of the cabinet there are provided refrigeration coils and circulating means 4% and 53, respectively, as disclosed in the prior applications. At least the innermost panel 42 is to be refrigerated, although refrigeration means can be provided for the other panels. The concepts of this invention contemplate the use of two or more panels and the invention is not necessarily limited to the three panels shown. Circulating means are provided for the innermost panel and preferably are provided for all of the panels, although in some instances the outermost panel can be simply carried along by the adjacent circulating panel.

As noted, the improvements of this invention are directed to the problem of preventing the infiow of warm air in the area adjacent the lateral edges of the air panels as they pass between the nozzles 4-4.- and the inlets on the other side of the access Opening. For this purpose, deflectors Sil are fastened to the inner wall 26 on each side c-f the enclosure. These deflectors extend from beneath the edge of the nozzles 44 to a point just above the oppositely situated inlet openings.

The deflector means shown comprise angles having first sides 52 to provide means for securing the angles to the inner wall 26. The other sides 54 of the angles extend Outwardly from opposite sides of the enclosure and they therefore present a barrier to air tending to pass along the side edges of the panels into the refrigerated interior. An angle with a side 52 one inch wide and a side 54 about one-half inch wide has been effectively utilized. Larger sizes can be employed, but it is not desirable to unduly restrict the size of the access Opening.

It has been found that the effectiveness of the deflectors is maximized When they are located on a line dividing the innermost refrigerated stream and the adjacent stream. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated, the sides 54 of the deflectors begin at a point immediately beneath one end of the partition 30 and extend to a point immediately above the opposite end of the partition. Thus, the strearns 42 and 40 are separated at their lateral edges by the deectors and the results of this invention are accomplished With this arrangement.

An important additional effect noted with the use of the defleetor means relates to frost build up in the refrigerated interior of the enclosure. Thus, it has surpisingly been found that the use of the described deflector means reduces the formation and accumulation of frost within the interior of the enclosure, for example, on the under side of the shelves. With this result, the efficiency of the Operation is increased, since the inflow of warm air is materially reduced. The decrease in frost build up adds to the efficiency of the Operation, since the frequency of defrosting operations can be correspondingly reduced.

It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made in the above described refrigeration system which provide the characteristics of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, particularly as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerated cabinet of the type which defines an access Opening in one wall communicating an other- Wise enclosed space with the ambient atmosphere, and which is provided With at least one inner cold air inlet and at least One outer warmer air inlet, at least one inner cold air nozzle and at least one outer warm air nozzle, said inlets and nozzles extending in side-by-side relationship across opposite edges of said access Opening, passages communicating each of the corresponding inlets and nozzles, cireulatin 7 means in at least some of the passages for forcing air through the passages in the form of panels across said access Opening, and refrigeration means disposed in at least some of said passages and adapted to refrigerate at least the innermost of said panels, the improvement comprising deector means for confining the panels When passing across said access Opening, said deflector means comprising a relatively narrow deflector Wall portion extending between said nozzles and inlets and protruding a short distance inwardly from the opposite side Walls of said enclosure, whereby the deflector wall portions are located on either side of the path of movement of said innermost panel, and wherein the Combined Width of said deflector wall portions is small compared to the size of the access Opening defined therebetween.

2. In a refrigerated cabinet defining an access Opening in one wall communicating an otherwise enclosed space with the outside atmosphere, means for circulating a plurality of air panels across said Opening and through said enclosure, and means for refrigerating at least the innermost one of said panels, the improvement comprising a pair of outwardly extending deflector means extending between said nozzles and inlets and iixed to the opposite sides of said enclosure, said deflector means comprising a relatively narrow deflector wall portion extending substantially completely the entire distance between said nozzles and inlets and protruding a short distance inwardly from the opposite side walls of said enclosure, whereby said defiector wall portions are located for contact with the outer edges of said innermost panel, and Wherein the Combined Width Of said wall portiOns is small compared to the size of the access Opening defined therebetween so that said wall portions do not engage any intermediate portions of said innermost panels.

3. A refrigerated cabinet in accordance with claim 2 wherein said deflector means comprise angles each having one side fastened to the inner walls of said enclosure with the other side extending outwardly at right angles from said walls.

4. A refrigerated cabinet in accordance with claim 3 wherein the said Other sides of said angles are about one inch wide.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V2,77s,1s7 Mcclurkia Dec. 25, 1956 3,063,254 Dickson Nov. 13, 1962 3,063,256 Lamb Nov. 13, 1962 

1. IN A REFRIGERATED CABINET OF THE TYPE WHICH DEFINES AN ACCESS OPENING IN ONE WALL COMMUNICATING AN OTHERWISE ENCLOSED SPACE WITH THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, AND WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE INNER COLD AIR INLET AND AT LEAST ONE OUTER WARMER AIR INLET, AT LEAST ONE INNER COLD AIR NOZZLE AND AT LEAST ONE OUTER WARM AIR NOZZLE, SAID INLETS AND NOZZLES EXTENDING IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP ACROSS OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID ACCESS OPENING, PASSAGES COMMUNICATING EACH OF THE CORRESPONDING INLETS AND NOZZLES, CIRCULATING MEANS IN AT LEAST SOME OF THE PASSAGES FOR FORCING AIR THROUGH THE PASSAGES IN THE FORM OF PANELS ACROSS SAID ACCESS OPENING, AND REFRIGERATION MEANS DISPOSED IN AT LEAST SOME OF SAID PASSAGES AND ADAPTED TO REFRIGERATE AT LEAST THE INNERMOST OF SAID PANELS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING DEFLECTOR MEANS FOR CONFINING THE PANELS WHEN PASSING ACROSS SAID ACCESS OPENING, SAID DEFLECTOR MEANS COMPRISING A RELATIVELY NARROW DEFLECTOR WALL PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID NOZZLES AND INLETS 